Personal Focus
by NoteEmmy
Summary: Mana is bored out of her mind and wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting people of the palace. Isis decides to try and teach her to behave better. f/f


It was a boring, overly hot day in Egypt. To say that there was nothing to do was strange on its own. There should have always been something to do. Ever since Atem claimed the throne and had become Pharaoh things were always busy. Mahaad had become the magician and priest to his Sacred Court, and Mana had entered into training to become a great magician just like Mahaad. One day. One day she would be the best magician Egypt- no, the whole world had ever seen.

Today was not that day.

Today was a boring day in which Atem had taken Mahaad away to confide in him or make plans or whatever it was those two did when Atem called him away so suddenly. Mana wasn't sure. Since she wasn't on the Court she wasn't allowed to confer in meetings like those. It was highly unfair, she thought. There was once when she told Atem her thoughts on that. Whether or not he was the new Pharaoh, he'd always be the prince, her best friend, to her. Things wouldn't change that much. He'd promised and she'd accepted.

It didn't matter, though. Whether or not it was unfair, it still happened. It wasn't that he didn't trust her but rules were rules. It wasn't like she was much interested in the boring things they talked about anyway. Not really.

When they did leave, however, it left her in a rut. She felt like she had nothing to do. Today happened to be one of the worst days that the two people she loved the most could have up and left together. She felt so energetic today. She felt pent up with no release. She couldn't play hide and seek, she couldn't practice her magic with Mahaad, she couldn't run around and not get in trouble for it without Atem around to stop the guards from yelling at her.

She felt like screaming to the sky.

Eventually she did start running, just a little. She tried not to do it inside the palace so as to avoid being yelled at or discouraged. From there she took up her frustrations on small items. Her wand was produced and she started turning the flowers and pots into tiny animals. After that she started popping up from one place to another randomly. Nothing seemed to make her energy diminish though. Today would have been a really great day to practice!

In her anger at her two best friends for conspiring against her she cast a very powerful spell on herself. It sent her from the palace outskirts all the way across the desert. Suddenly she panicked. She had no water and no way home if she couldn't redo that. She'd die out here and no one would even know for months, maybe even years! In her terror she raised her wand and tried again. The world blurred around her as it felt like she was being thrown very hard.

Everything stopped suddenly. The young magician felt immensely dizzy and started stumbling through wherever she'd ended up. Her escapades came to a stop when she knocked over a vase, the glass shattering on the floor. An angry voice soon followed.

"Mana!"

Shaking her head she looked around. The room was one she knew but was not personally familiar with. And the person it belonged to was glaring at her with burning blue eyes. She bowed quickly. "Isis! I'm so sorry! I-I was practicing my magic and- well- it was an accident! I swear!" It was unlike Isis to lose her cool. So for the woman to be yelling already was a very bad sign. Mana knew when to cower instead of insisting she was without blame.

The woman looked at the furiously apologetic young girl and then towards the broken object on the floor. A sigh was given. "You are forgiven." She said softly, reigning herself back in. It wouldn't do well to lose her temper. Not with Mana. Not with anyone. She had learned that a long time ago. Stepping forward she crouched and picked up one of the broken pieces in her hand. "Perhaps you should give your... _magic practice_ a little rest, Mana." Whether or not she was calm had nothing to do with that she was still upset over the happenings.

"Yes, Isis. Sorry, Isis." Mana was still bowing, trying her best to save face in light of what had happened. If Isis told Mahaad she was acting foolishly with her powers she would be in huge trouble.

The broken shard was set down on her dresser as the Priestess turned to the young magician. "Was that you I heard scurrying about outside as well?"

Mana stiffened. She really was caught now. "...Yes, Isis. I'm really sorry." She rose from her bow to send a pair of pleading, big eyes towards the woman. "I just have nothing to do today. Everything is so boring!"

"There is always something to be done." Isis reprimanded.

It sent Mana bowing her head again. "Yes, Isis..."

The woman's head tilted as she took in the girl's form. Hadn't she once too been young and filled with energy? She smiled lightly approaching the girl. A hand was placed on her shoulder. "You are too energetic at times, I think. It is what leads to bad decision making."

Mana wasn't sure if she was still being yelled at. The smile and touch were conflicting with the admonishing. "Uh..."

"That noise is unbecoming." A stern tone but she soon smiled again as Mana straightened up. "What if I could teach you a skill to calm your energies and your mind? Do you think that that would help?"

Truth be told, Mana wasn't interested in that. Not in the slightest. She could be calm when she wanted. Just because Isis had caught her in an accident didn't mean she was being a brat! ...but she couldn't exactly say that to the Priestess' face. If she refused she would probably be in bigger trouble. So, with a withheld sigh, she nodded. "I'd like that." She lied.

"Good. Come with me." Isis' arm slipped around Mana's shoulder to further prevent her from escaping as she led her out to a balcony. The sky was bright and blue and expanded forever. The air was dry and hot and the occasional breeze at this height was most welcomed. "Now, sit." She instructed.

Mana did as she was told, putting her wand aside and sitting cross-legged on the floor. "Now what?" The sooner this was over the better.

"Close your eyes." Isis softened her tone. Being stern would likely only stress the girl out more and that wouldn't work.

Mana's lips pursed in a pout before she did as she was told. "Now what?"

"Now is the part you stop speaking and do as I say." For all her patience, Mana was trying at times. She was still so very young and disrespectful, even if she didn't realize it. With that order though it seemed the girl was doing as she was told and that was a very good start. Isis circled behind her and knelt. Her hands went to Mana's shoulders, a light and simple touch that caused the girl to stiffen. "Calm, Mana. Breathe in..." She murmured, her hands staying where they were.

Despite the fact that she was feeling uncomfortable now, she did as she was told. Her body loosened as she took a breath in and held it.

"And out..." Isis said after a long moment. "Slow."

The breath was released through her lips in as slow a manner as she could manage. She could even feel her heart start to beat slower as she did this. Was this really going to work?

"Good, Mana." She praised the magician in training. Her hands slipped up Mana's shoulders as one moved to the back of her head. "Lift up, still breathe slow." Mana tilted her head as she was directed. Isis could tell from how quick this command was followed that the other was getting into it. Her other hand traced the girl's spine. "Let go." She said with no follow up, trying to see if Mana would know what to do.

As if on instinct her back curved down, her head dropping a little. She felt heavy and sluggish all of a sudden, but it was a good feeling. Not exactly tired but not as frustrated as she had been before. It was nice. She wasn't sure she'd felt this way in a long time. As Isis continued touching her, however, an odd and distinct heat was felt in her face. No one had really touched her like this before. Isis' hands were so soft and gentle. So careful.

Isis settled behind Mana finally, tucking her legs underneath her in a dignified position rather than the one Mana had taken. Her hands moved down the line of Mana's body before reaching her hips. "Keep breathing. Yes.. Good." She kept murmuring, trying to lull Mana further. It was odd but for all the relaxing she'd gotten the other to do, she was suddenly feeling another tense in the girl's body. It shouldn't have been that way. She wasn't sure what was causing it.

"Now, as my hands travel up your back once more, lift with them." She said.

Slowly she moved both palms up the length of Mana's spine, fingers pressing in lightly. Mana lifted with them, no longer huddled over. She was certain now her heart was back to beating a million miles a minute. This stupid stuff hadn't really helped at all. It just served to make her feel ... weird.

Isis finally stopped, her hands moving to Mana's shoulders. Just lightly she tried pulling the other girl back towards her to see if she'd resist.

To both of their surprise, Mana fell back against her to Isis' will. It left the magician staring wide eyed up at the woman and the woman staring back down her in a slight questioning way. A pause hit between them, Isis yet to move her hand as she tried to feel out what Mana was thinking. What was the magician up to?

Suddenly Mana had leaned up, pressing her lips to the Priestess'. Isis' eyes widened with a very uncharacteristic squeak. Mana meanwhile had shut hers tight and pressed closer. Before she could let it go on any longer, Isis pushed at Mana's shoulders, pushed her up and away as she got to her own feet. The back of her hand went to her lips as she stepped away.

"Mana!" She was back to yelling, losing her composure over a girl that really should not have had such an affect on her.

Now she was sure her face was burning. "S-sorry!" She really was, too. What had she done? _Why_ was the better question.

"W-we will not speak of this again! Do you understand me?"

"Ack! Yes! Of course! Sorry!" Mana jumped to her feet, grabbed her wand, and was already running towards the exit.

"I mean it Mana!" How had things gotten so out of hand?

Mana didn't even turn to look back, too filled with shame. "Yes lady Isis! Sorry lady Isis! ...please don't tell Prince!" The door was shut quickly and she was back to running, this time down the halls as she'd tried so hard to avoid.

Isis' hands clenched at her sides. "Have some respect!"


End file.
